Exercising apparatus.



Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

T. E. VAUGHN.

EXERCISING APPARA' APPUCATON TILED NOV. 2211916.

` -2 SHEETS-SHEET Wtnesses Attorneys T. E. VAUGHN.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1916.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THOMAS E. VAUG-I-ILL'` OF CRAFTON;PENNSYLVAN'IA&

EXERCISNG APPARATUS.:

Specficaton of Letters Patent.,

Application filed November 22, 1916;- Serial No'. 132,836.

To all whom it may conccrn:

Be it known that I, THoMAs E. VAUGHN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Crafton, in the County of Alleg heny and State of Pennsylvania, have inventecl a new and usefulExercising Apparatus', of which the 'following is a specificaton.

This nventon relates to exerosing appato be pulled against the resist in g action of springs or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to orovide exercisin ao aratus of this character-having combined with it'an indicator on which are arrangedpictures or other data clearly disclosing' different exercises tobe' used in succession, this indieating -means being shi'table automatically` so .thatfon the completion of ,a predeternined number-bf i movements, the ndicator 'will be brought to* position to* show thenext exercise to beyfol A' further object is -to provide means whereby after the completion O-a redetermined number of movements a signal will be given automatically' to notify 'the user v that the-next exercise 'ofthe series is to be takenup; i

A .still further object' is tof A provide :ex-

ercising apparatus which can -be adjusted readily so as to operate the si gnal after any desired number of strokesormovements* Another object is to' combi'ne :with the ex this type.

VVi'th the foregoing and` 'other' `objects in' View 'which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in' the 'com-- bination and arrangement of parts and in" the details of Construction' hereinafter de scribedand claimech it' being-understood' that changes; 'in `the precise` embodiment of i each :time a dividing ;line between two segthe invention -herei'n dsclosed, can be made within the scope of whatis claimed, without-*I departing fromthe spirit of the inventiom is a `front elet ation of theap pa-,;

Fig. 2 is' a side elevation thereof.

PatentedAu 21,19175 Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the apparatus.

F ig s 4 is an enlarged side elevation of 'a portion of 'the apparatus.

Ree'r-ring 'to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates an attaching 'plate having a central outstanding bracket 2 proratus of that' type utilizing grips adapted vided-withastud 3 on which 'is inounted a large worm 'gear 4 having forwardly extending posts' to which is secureda dial `6.

In the Construction -ill'ustrated the -dial is provided with a series of graduations at the ditionto these graduationsthe front face of the dial is divided into segments. Each' segment is adapted tok-contain an illustraunderstoodthat each of the segments is to a be provided 'with-a different picture In stead of having pictures to illustratethe suo-.-

cessive exercises, any .other suitable means. such vas descriptons of the exercises,.names, or the like may be used. i

Extending forwardly from :the attachi'ng plate 1 near the -sides thereof are brackets 7 andjournaled within :these brackets isa' transverse shaft 8 having- -a worm 9 ad aptedw: to meshiwiththe .gear 4.' Secured. torzthepr shaft 8 is a ratchet wheel 10 andniounted forrotation 'on thisshaft is a groovedwheel or sheave 11: which; is maintained' close to 90. the ratchet ;wheel by a collar 12 :Secured 'ton theshaft; Secured to one side of the sheave is a pawl-13 adapted to transmit motionin' one direction from the: sheave to: the shaft;

, Arrangedupon theback 'face of the gear 4 are. trippingcams 14 equalin number to.

' the segments: on-the :frontface of the dial;`

these cams being. arranged in a circleand adapted successivelyi to engagee, the* leven 15;

of abell 16 which is ?connected to the-braeket' 2 as shown` particularly in' Fig. 4. The parts v areso positioned relative'to each 'other that:

inentsds brought into register with' anindex,

16^' mged adjacent the'dial, the leverl the ;exercise is 'to be changed.

Index ;l' s mountedon :a vcrossbar.` 17

connecting the brackets 7 and journaled' within the central portion of this cross bar is an intermediate guide sheave 18.

4 Swivcled in the outer end ofeach bracket 7 is the stem 19 of a downwardly extending fol-k 20, there being a guide sheave 21' journaled within each ork. e Extending over the 'guide'sh'eaves 21 are`the end portions of a cord 22 which are Secured to grips 23. The cord is extended downwardly from the V sheaves 21 and througha pulley block 24,

'ably mounted within the support 27 and has a foot .29which bears on a compression spring' 30'. This compression spring, in turn, is supported by anadjusting screw 31 and -obviously by shifting the screw upwardly or downwardly .the tension of the spring can be increased or dimin'ished as' desired. A graduated scale 32 may be arranged close to and parallel with the path of the screw 31 so as to indicate the resistance in pounds or other units of measurement producedby a predetermined adjustment of the screw.

The block 24' is attached as before'stated, to the free end of the long arm of the lever. At intermediate points this long armhas eyes 33 to any one of which may be attached one end of a cord. 34 which extends over the sheave 11 'and thence downwardly to a spring 35 which is anchored as at 36 and may be in the form of a strip of elastic, a coiled spring or the like.

The eyes'33 maybe designated by numerals indicating the number of strokes which may be taken while carryin out any one exercise. For example, the. eyes can be ndcated by numerals arranged n steps of five and ranging `from 15 to 35 as indicated..

j Assuming that the user ofthe apparatus is a beginner and that it is desirable to use the minimum number of movements in each exercise,then the cord 34 should be con nected to the first eye 33 and which is-designated by the numeral 15. Likewise the screw 31 should be adjusted downwardly so that spring 30 will offer the 'minimum resistance to the movement of the lever 25. t

lever 25 due to a pull upon the grips 23,

the cord 34 will be held taut by the spring 35 and will cause sheaves11to rotate and transmit motion through 'the pawl 13 to the shaft 8. The worm on this shaft will slowly rotate the gear 4, the movement being such that upon the completion of the fifteenth movement, the lever 15 of the alarm Will be released by one of the cams 14 so that the alarm will be sounded and at the same time v 'user becomes .stronger, the cord 34 can be shifted tovthe next eye 33 and the series of exercises repeated. After the cord 34 has been shifted to all of the eyes sothat in the structure illustrated, there will be thirtyfive movements to each exercise, the screw 31 can be adjusted to increase the resistance of the spring 30, whereupon' the operator 'can begin over again and operate the machine at this increased resistance.

By providing the peripheral gradu'ations on the dial 6 it becomes 'possible to make tests or 'to hold competitions. 'For example the user can, with the machine adjusted to a certain resistance, operate the mechanism continuously 'until he becomes tired and can make a 'note of the number of movements executed. -Later on the user canvtry the* same test and by comparing the results can determine to what extent 'his strength has increased. Also, in contests, two or more.

persons can' encleavor to rotate the dial the greatest distance withoutbecoming exhausted;

What is claimed is:- v 1. Exercising apparatus including an indicatorihaving separate means thereon for designating difl'erent exercises, a grip, yielcling means for resstng the movement of the grip and means operated by the grip for actuating the indicator, said means being adjustable to drive the indicator difierent distances. i'

2. Exercisinggapparatus including' an indicator having separate means thereon for e 'designating different exercises, a grip, means for res'isting the movement of the grp, -said -mean`s being yieldable, means operated by successive movement of the grip for intermittently actuating the, indicator, andan alarm` aetuate l when the indicator is brought to every one of a series of posi' j tions. e

3. Exercising apparatu's' including an indicator having separate means ,ther eon, for designating different exercises, a grip, yielding means for retarding the V\ movement of the grip, means operated by the grip for intermittently actuatin the indicator, and means operated by the ndicator for sounding an alarm When each of the separate means on the indicator s brought to a predetermined position.

4. Exercising apparatus including a revoluble exercise indicator, a yieldingly controlled lever, a grip connected to and adapted to actuate the lever, a shaft, means for transmitting motion from the lever to the shaft to intermittently' rotate the shaft in one direction during the osollation of the lever, and mechanism for transmitting motion from the shaft .to the indicator.

5. Exercising apparatus including a revoluble indicator, an index coperatng With the indicator, a yieldingly controlled leVer, a grip for actuating the lever, a shaft, yieldingly held means adjustably connected to the lever for intermittently rotating the shaft during the oscillation of the lever, and gearing for transmitting motion from the shaft to the indicator.

6. Exercising apparatus including a revoluble indicator, a lever, adjustable means for yieldingly restraining the lever, a grip, a connection between the grip and lever to actuate the lever, a yeldingly held member adjustably connected to the lever, a shaft driven by said member, and means for transmitting motion from the shaft to the indicator.

7 Exercising apparatus including a revoluble indicator, a levcr, adjustable means for yieldingly restraining the lever, a grip, a connection between the grip and lever to actuate the lever, a yieldingly held member adjustably connected to the lever, a shaft driven by said member, means for transmitting motion from the shaft to the indicator, an alarm, and means operated by the rotation of the indicator for sounding the alarm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. VAUGHN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT CROUSE, J r., ARTHUR CRoUsE.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

